Michel Foucault
Biography * Born in Poitiers, France in 1926. * Studied philosophy and psychology at France's top university, ''École Normale Supérieure''. * It was here that Foucault met his teacher, [http://engl661.wikia.com/wiki/Althusser?venotify=created Louis Althusser], who, in 1950, convinced Michel to join the Communist Party. Michel cut his ties to the Communist Party only three years later (1469). * Published first book in 1960, ''Folie et deraison'', * In 1961, the work was translated, in part, into English under the title M''adness and Civilization. '' * This was soon followed, in 1963, by his second book, ''The Birth of the Clinic'', which, like its predecessor, heavily criticized modern medical institutions (1469)''. ''Leitch, Vincent B., editor. ''The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism''. 2nd ed., W.W. Norton & Co., 2010. * Foucault's 1966 work translated as, ''The Order of Things'', earned him reputation and renown in intellectual circles and made his career. ''The History of Sexuality, ''Vol. 1 '''Background and''' '''Historical Context''' Foucault argued that modern power operates "...through continual classification, surveillance, and intervention" (NATC 1472). In turn, modern power, in Foucault's mind, is responsible for the production of sexual categories that "structure the world in certain ways." He observes the history of sexuality from the seventeenth century onward, including how views of sexuality were shaped by religion, capitalism, and bourgeois society. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the shift on sexuality switched focus from married couples to the sexuality of those outside that sanctity of marriage., or what society would consider as "perverse" sexualities. This, Foucault argues, had three impacts on society. "Firstly, there was increasing categorization of these 'perverts'; where previously a man who engaged in same-sex activities would be labeled as an individual who succumbed to the sin of sodomy, now they would be categorized into a new 'species,' that of homosexual. Secondly, Foucault argues that the labeling of perverts conveyed a sense of 'pleasure and power' on to both those studying sexuality and the perverts themselves. Thirdly, he argues that bourgeoisie society exhibited 'blatant and fragmented perversion,' readily engaging in perversity but regulating where it could take place.[7]" (Wikipedia) '''Key Words and Terms''' '''''Epistemes''''' - "Deep-rooted, unconscious structures for organizing knowledge" (Simon 1469). '''Subject '''- Foucault uses the word in two different meanings: 1. the noun, the "subject position" 2. the verb, as in being "'subjected' to power" (1471). '''Power/Knowledge''' - "the term Foucault uses to indicate how the production of knowledge is wedded to productive power. Modern power requires increasingly narrow categories through which it analyzes, differentiates, identities, and administers individuals" (1473). '''Classical Period '''- Foucault's term for (roughly) the period from 1650 to 1789" (1502). '''Bourgeois''' - In English, the term ''bourgeoisie'' is often used to denote the middle classes. In fact, the French term encompasses both the upper and middle classes, bourgeoisie in France and many French-speaking countries consists of four evolving social layers: ''petite bourgeoisie'', ''moyenne bourgeoisie'', ''grande bourgeoisie'', and ''haute bourgeoisie.''"The History of Sexuality." ''Wikipediaˆ. ''https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_History_of_Sexuality ''In the context of "The History of Sexuality/ Foucault (1519), it was a "Nineteenth-century "bourgeois" society" or answer to "''Sexual repression". '''Expurgate''' - to cleanse of something morally harmful, offensive, or erroneous; especially : to expunge objectionable parts from before publication or presentation =